Food Safety Standards: IFS, BRCGS, GLOBALG.A.P. – How to Choose and Demonstrate Your Risk Management?

June 7th marks the World Food Safety Day, led by FAO and WHO. Beyond raising awareness, it is also an opportunity to highlight an operational reality for all food industry businesses: food safety must be demonstrated, organised, and proven — particularly through internationally recognised standards.

At Ecocert, an independent certification body, we have been putting our expertise at the service of food industry stakeholders for nearly 30 years. Historically recognised for organic certification, Ecocert also supports companies seeking to structure and demonstrate their control of health risks, to guarantee consumers food that is healthier, safer, and more sustainable.

In 30 seconds: the key takeaways

• Why rely on standards? To reduce risks, strengthen compliance, and secure market access.

• Key standards: IFS, BRCGS and GLOBALG.A.P.

• The common thread: GFSI recognition, a mark of international credibility.

• Recommended approach: structure your system, choose the standard suited to your markets and customer requirements.

• Who to turn to? An independent third party such as Ecocert, with teams of experts operating in France and internationally.

Why is food safety a public health issue… and a sustainability issue?

Food safety is a major public health issue and a lever for sustainable development: preventing illness, building consumer trust, and encouraging more responsible practices throughout the food chain.

Globally, the WHO estimates that the consumption of contaminated food causes approximately 600 million cases of foodborne illness and 420,000 deaths each year*.

These figures underline a clear reality: controlling biological, chemical, and physical hazards is not merely a compliance matter. It is also a matter of trust, reputation, and long-term viability.

The central role of GFSI: a global recognition framework

The GFSI (Global Food Safety Initiative) is an international framework that benchmarks food safety certification schemes.

In practice, a GFSI-recognised certification means that the standard has been assessed against demanding criteria of equivalence and robustness. This is what gives it its international credibility: a GFSI-benchmarked certification is recognised by major buyers worldwide, simplifying secondary audits and facilitating market access.

IFS, BRCGS, and GLOBALG.A.P. are all three GFSI-recognised — this is one of the decisive criteria to guide your choice.

HACCP, IFS, BRC, GLOBALG.A.P.: What are the differences and which one should you choose?

1. HACCP: the essential methodological foundation

Firstly, it is important to note that HACCP (Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point) is not a standard (such as IFS, BRCGS and GLOBALG.A.P) but a method of analysis that forms the basis of any food safety approach. It structures hazard analysis, control, monitoring, corrective actions, and verification. HACCP is often an indispensable prerequisite and forms the foundation on which all GFSI standards are built.

2. IFS Food: the benchmark standard in France and Europe

IFS Food is a standard focused on process control, compliance, food safety culture, and documentary and on-site requirements. GFSI-recognised, it is particularly relevant for:

• cooperatives and processors,

• small and medium-sized enterprises,

• subsidiaries of food industry groups,

• companies seeking strong recognition with European clients, particularly in retail.

Ecocert is one of the leading certification bodies for IFS Food in France, with solid expertise developed alongside hundreds of certified sites across all product categories and technologies.

3. BRCGS: an internationally recognised standard

BRCGS Food Safety is widely recognised in international supply chains and is GFSI-recognised. It is often chosen to meet the requirements of demanding buyers, support an export strategy, or demonstrate a high level of quality and food safety system control.

4. GLOBALG.A.P. (IFA v6 GFS): food safety from primary production

Often less visible than its processing counterparts, GLOBALG.A.P. (and more specifically the “IFA v6 GFS” module) is nonetheless an essential GFSI standard for agricultural producers and primary production operators (fruit, vegetables, meat, aquaculture, etc.). It covers good agricultural practices, traceability, input management, and worker safety. For supply chains seeking to demonstrate risk control from farm to fork, GLOBALG.A.P. is the right answer for the upstream link in the chain.

Why choose Ecocert for certification?

Ecocert is an independent, accredited certification body operating in France and internationally. In practice, this means:

• an impartial assessment based on standard requirements,

• audits carried out by qualified and recognised auditors,

• a certification that enhances your credibility with clients and partners,

• the capacity to support you across several GFSI standards depending on your markets and position in the food chain.

Ecocert serving retailers: protecting consumers throughout the chain

Ecocert also carries out food safety audits on behalf of retailers. These audits enable supermarket chains and trading companies to exercise their own oversight of their suppliers and own-label products — an essential approach to strengthening consumer protection and fully assuming their responsibility within the food chain.

In a context where traceability and transparency are increasingly expected by consumers, having an external and independent perspective on suppliers has become both a strategic lever and an ethical requirement.

Our commitment: to help you better manage your health risks, strengthen your quality system, and support your commercial development, in France and around the world.

“Food safety isn’t a static state; it’s a process. Our role is to help businesses structure this process to ensure safer and more sustainable food. ” — Nicolas Bescond, Head of the Food Quality and Safety Department - Ecocert

👉 Ready to take action? Contact an Ecocert expert!

*Source: WHO https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/food-safety